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From the team behind the Poblacion watering hole, Polilya, comes a brand new bistro: Meet Sampiro
The Salcedo food map just got plumper with the addition of the Sampiro and its eye-catching art deco-inspired aesthetic. Street-side, its location is prime –ideal for those seeking a go-to spot for lunch, merienda, dinner or drinks while people-watching and indulging in a comforting meal.
Co-owner Ian Paradies tells me that the concept was created for “a diverse and discerning community.” “What initially drove this decision was the beautiful space we found in Salcedo Village, right in front of the park and fronted by two fully grown trees. Part of Dark Wing’s (our company) vision is making sure we echo the neighbourhood we choose to open in, and never force the neighbourhood to adapt to our concepts,” he adds.
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The vision for Sampiro was to slightly challenge the traditional perception of a bistro by introducing Southeast Asian and Filipino flair. “We created a menu that was novel yet familiar. Think traditional carpaccio with Thai lime and herbs, tuna tiradito with mushroom X.O. sauce, or hand-made pappardelle with a ragu of lamb kaldereta,” Paradies shares excitedly.
He elaborates to say that it is borderless cuisine, with a common thread that connects it all together: the usage of local produce. Filipino herbs and flavours from our diverse regions has allowed chefs Anna Bautista and Luis de Terry to play through this menu which comprises mostly small plates that are easy to share and allow diners to try a variety of offerings.
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“The menu is also local seafood and fish centric. From smoked mackerel schmears to sardine pâtés to black pepper prawns or pan-grilled snappers, we made sure to come up with dishes that would spotlight the bounty of our coastlines,” shares Paradies.
His personal favourites from the menu are the tuna tartare wrapped in prosciutto on a baguette, as well as the beef carpaccio and black pepper gambas with shishito peppers. “The base of each dish is very traditional, but chef Anna and chef Luis incorporated very forward-thinking flavours to each dish, so it surprises the customer with unexpected combinations. From the cocktail side, by far my go-to drink is the shiso vodka smash, which incorporates calamansi.”
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With a nod to the quintessential New York City Balthazar experience, Sampiro is primed to be the resto-bar the Salcedo neighbourhood may have been waiting for. In fact, the bar is the first interior space guests see as they walk in, prompting diners to think of which tipple they ought to try first. They even have a simple, spacious patio for al fresco dining, facing the park.
“Between the interiors, décor, glass and serving ware, food, drinks, music and service we want people to feel like they have been transported to an era when people gathered at restaurants and saloons as a way to celebrate life and enjoy each other’s company,” says Paradies.
See also: The top 20 restaurants in the Philippines for 2023
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Not only will their menu bring you global flavours, but their bold interiors are sure to catch your eye. “The inspiration behind the interiors of Sampiro was post WWII Filipino art deco. We worked again with our favourite designers, The Collective, who did the interiors for the original as well as the new Polilya space. They dreamed up their own, updated interpretation of Filipino art deco and turned it into Sampiro–a space with vibrant colour schemes, clear Filipino influences and whimsical décor applications,” he explains.
For Sampiro’s founders, creating F&B experiences to bring people together over excellent meals and fabulous drinks, to make new friends and lasting memories is what it’s all about. With the smashing success of their freshman venture, Polilya, naturally the group decided to dive into the restaurant space.
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“We were extremely happy with what we were able to accomplish with Polilya, so we wanted to try our hand at something different. A restaurant like Sampiro requires much more planning and detail, as the complexity of our food and cocktails plays a much bigger role in the operations. This will be our first time to open and operate a restaurant but we are super excited to share with our customers what the team has worked so hard on. This is truly a passion project for us and was an opportunity to expand the Dark Wing portfolio further,” Paradies says with pride.
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About
Isabel loves to learn, and see things from different perspectives. Connecting with people and engaging in new experiences to broaden her horizons is what inspires this storyteller, keeping her constantly curious, and excited for what's to come. An absolute love for all things F&B ignited a hunger to devour content from this world and keeps her jumping into tasty adventures around the globe. From the beauty of simple bites, to nuanced fine dining tasting menus, street food, and the art of entertaining, the multi-faceted nature of the dining experience is something she can't get enough of. A good cup of coffee or a glass of wine paired with a dash of witty conversation is a quick way to win her over. This editor loves travelling, food, music, skincare, fitness, and is only friends with people who love dogs. Guilty pleasure?: Binge-watching TV shows and movies she has already seen.
Work
Concept creation is the name of the game and branding takes centre stage in Isabel's day-to-day schedule. From producing shoots, conceptualising bespoke projects for our partners, relationship management, to cooking up features and events for Tatler Dining, this editor is a tried and tested foodie at heart. She mainly writes content for Tatler Dining, engaging in captivating discussions with restaurateurs, chefs, producers, and food enthusiasts to tell must-know stories. Aside from that Isabel manages Tatler Dining's flagship events like Off Menu, or Cocktail Festival and puts together the Tatler Dining Guide, our annual listing of the best eats around town.
Follow her on Instagram @isabelvmf.
